Nephrolepis plant named &#39;Floriane&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Nephrolepis  cultivar named ‘Floriane’ is disclosed, characterized by a distinctive relaxed, nearly weeping plant habit, broad, nearly weeping foliage and overall broad plant habit. The near variety is a  Nephrolepis,  typically used for indoor ornamental purposes.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Nephrolepis exaltata

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘FLORIANE’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar was discovered as a naturally occurring, spontaneous mutation, among a commercial planting of Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Montana’ unpatented. ‘Floriane’ was discovered by the inventor, Jacob Johannes Bijl, a citizen of the Netherlands in October of 2009, at a commercial greenhouse in Zierikzee, The Netherlands.

Approximately 10 weeks after discovery of the interesting mutation, the inventor initiated cultivation in tissue culture, during December of 2009. Subsequently ‘Floriane’ has been reproduced by micro-propagation and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type through several generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Floriane’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Floriane’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Floriane’ as a new and distinct Nephrolepis cultivar:

1. Distinctive, relaxed, nearly weeping, plant habit.

2. Broad foliage.

3. Broad plant habit.

4. Relaxed, nearly weeping foliage aspect.

COMPARISON TO PARENT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Floriane’ are similar to plants of the parent; Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Montana’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘Floriane’ produces lighter green leaves than the parent variety. Additionally, the new variety produces more longer, broader leaves than ‘Montana’. Leaves of ‘Floriane’ are more undulating on the margin, and have a more acute apex than ‘Montana’. Additionally, the overall plant appearance is different, as leaves of ‘Floriane’ are more relaxed to almost weeping, whereas leaves of ‘Montana’ are held more upright.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The most similar commercial Nephrolepis exaltata variety available to compare to ‘Floriane’ is Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Ariane’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,218. Plants of ‘Floriane’ produce more leaves per plant than ‘Ariane’. Additionally, ‘Floriane’ differs from ‘Ariane’ in having a less upright plant habit and less leaflets per leaf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘Floriane’ grown in a greenhouse. This plant is approximately 1 year old, shown in a 1.5 liter pot. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘Floriane’ plants grown in a commercial greenhouse in the Netherlands, from February of 2010 through February of 2011. Temperatures were 18° C. at night and 22° C. during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types. No growth regulators or special treatments were used.

-   Botanical classification: Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Floriane’ -   Propagation: -   Time to initiate roots: Approximately 10 days at 23° C. -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet: Approximately 5 weeks at 20° C. -   Root description: Very dense and freely branching, moderately fine,     slightly fibrous, non-fleshy, colored near RHS Brown 199D. -   Plant: -   Growth habit: Broad, nearly weeping, indoor ornamental potted plant. -   Plant shape: Flattened globular with arching, outwardly relaxed     leaves -   Height: Approximately 29 cm in a 1.5 liter pot. -   Plant spread: Approximately 90 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate to rapid. -   Branching characteristics: Branches emerge directly from the roots. -   Age of plant described: Approximately 12 months from a stage 3     tissue culture. -   Foliage: -   Leaf:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—Average 250.         -   Leaf type.—Compound pinnate. Leaflets per Leaf: Average 102.         -   Average leaf length.—Approximately 60.1 cm.         -   Average leaf width.—Approximately 9.7 cm Average Leaflet             Length: Approximately 5.8 cm Average Leaflet Width: At base             approximately 1.7 cm At mid-section approximately 1.3 cm.         -   Leaflet shape.—Lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong Leaflet Apex:             Obtuse Leaflet Base: Truncate.         -   Overall leaf shape.—Narrow elliptic to narrow             elliptic-oblong.         -   Overall leaf aspect.—Arching. -   Leaflets:     -   -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Leaflet aspect.—Wavy.         -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth.         -   Appearance of top surface.—Slightly glossy.         -   Appearance of bottom surface.—Slightly glossy.         -   Pubescence.—No pubescence of leaves or leaflets.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 141B, tip             near RHS Yellow-Green 144B Young foliage under side: Color             between RHS Green 143B and Yellow-Green 144A Mature foliage             upper side: Near RHS Green N137B Mature foliage under side:             Near RHS Green N137C.         -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation coloration upper side:             Near RHS Yellow-Green 147A Venation coloration under side:             Near RHS Brown 200A. -   Leaf petiole:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 8.4 cm.         -   Width.—At geniculum: Approximately 2.5 cm Above clump:             Approximately 2.5 cm.         -   Color.—Upper side: Varies, either near RHS Green 143C or             Yellow-Green 151A Under side: Near RHS Brown 200D.         -   Strength.—Strong. -   Leaflet petiole: Leaflets are sessile. -   Other foliage characteristics: -   Rachis description: Rachis colored near Yellow-Green 144A on both     sides; upper side of rachis moderately covered and under side     sparsely covered with stellate hairs, average length: 1 mm, colored     near RHS 197D -   Flower: Non-flowering variety. -   Other characteristics: -   Spore production: Not detected to date. -   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     diseases or pests has been observed in this variety. -   Temperature tolerance: Indoor tropical, hardy to at least USDA zone     10, tolerates high temperatures to at least 35° C. -   Drought tolerance: No tolerance for drought. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Nephrolepis plant named ‘Floriane’ as herein illustrated and described. 